William m



(No Model.)

W. M. REED.

I GAB. COUPLING. No. 379,331. Patented Mar. 13, 1888'.

WITNESSES: I V IIWBNTOR:

W; BY

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT Grinch.

WILLIAM M. REED, OF SHELTON, NEBRASKA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,331, dated March 13,1888.

Application tiled December 2, 1887. Serial No. 956,780. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. REED, of Shelton, in the county of Buffalo and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and Improved Gar-Coupling, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of a car-coupling, whereby the same is made entirely automatic as to making a coupling and as to taking a position therefor in relation to draw-heads of the same or different heights, and that two draw-heads constructed under the present in vention may be doubly coupled; and the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts of and constituting the coupling, all substantially as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view at the end .of a car, showing the coupling of the present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the draw-head on line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar section through the coupling on line 3 3 Fig. 1, but showing in dotted lines certain parts thereof when placed out of the coupling position; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the under side of the coupling.

The draw-head A is to be attached to the end of the car in any usual or approved manner and is provided at its forward end with two comparatively widelongitudinal openings or slots, B and O, the said slot B extending vertically through and open at the top and bottom of the draw-head, with a front end wall, a, for a portion of its height, said end wall being continued below the bottom line of the draw-head, as seen at b, and said slot is also overhung by a shelving part, d, of the top of draw-head.

A couplingbar, D, hooked, as at g, at its outer end, is pivoted intermediate of its length in said slot B, capable of a partial rotation in a vertical plane, and adapted at its rear end when swung into substantially a horizontal position to abut against the under side of the overhanging part d of the draw-head, and when in a vertical position against the upper portion of the end wall, a, and there is at the rear end of the said coupling-bar a pivotallyhung dog, h, so jointed by tongue-and-groove construction that the said dog h may either be in a line in continuation of that of the couplingbar, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 3, or swung at an angle thereto, as seen by the full lines in said figure, the shoulder Z of the said dog abutting against the rear squared end, Z of the coupling-bar, preventing, when the dog and barare in alignment, any swing of the dog rearwardly therefrom, yet allowing the dog, when struck from the rear by the returning arm m, to swing forward and upward, and when the arm at assumes its position against the downward extension I) said dog drops into alignment with the coupling-bar.

A lever, E, having two angular arms, at and n, is pivoted to the under side of the drawhead for a horizontal swing thereon, its forwardly-extending arm n projecting beyond the front of the dra\v-head, and it there has a nose, 12?, arranged or inclined so that its forward point is in a longitudinal line inside of its pivotal point, and a spring, j, is suitably at tached to its rear portion in a manner to main tain said arm at forward against the extension I) of the draw-head and the nose a of the arm n in its outermost position.

The slot 0 is open at the upper portion of the draw-head and is preferably closed at the bottom, and at the forward portion thereof is an abutment, f, rearwardly and upwardly inclining as to its forward and rear walls.

Upon the end of the car, in suitable bearings, is journaled a horizontal rocker-shaft, G, extended to the sides of the car, and there having handle or crank portions 12 p, and also at its intermediate portion a crank arm, q, a chain, r, connecting its outer end with the forward portion of the hooked couplingbar.

With the couplingbar. down, as seen in Figs. 1,2, and 3, on the approach of another draw-head having the abutment or wallf in line therewith the forward nose rises on the front inclined face of said abutment and hooks over the edge thereof.

Should the coupling-bar be raised, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 3, on the abutment by the downward front extension, I), of another approached draw-head against the nose of arm a, said arm is forced inwardly, swinging the arm at rearwardly to move the 'dog h, and with it the coupling-bar,to swing it down.

To uncouple,by turning either of the cranked handles 1), or by drawing on the chain 2?, extending from the coupling bar to the top of the car, said bar may be raised out of engagement with the next draw-head, and it will be seen that whether the draw-bars are in their nor mal coupling positions or whether they are raised on a meeting of another similarly-constructed draw-head a coupling will be positively effected.

Having thus described my invention. I claim as new and desire to soon re by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with a draw-bar, of a couplingbar pivotally hung therein intermediate of its length and a shouldered dog, as h, pivoted to said coupling-bar, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a draw-bar provided with a slot, as B, of a pivoted two armed lever, as E, adjusted on the under side of the draw-head for a horizontal swing of its one arm across said slot and for a projection of its other arm beyond the front of the drawhead, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with a draw-bar having aslot, B,wit-h a rear abutment, d, and the slot 0, provided with forward abutment, f, of a hooked coupling-bar pivotally hung interme diate of its length in said slot B, substantially as described.

4. The combination,with a draw-bar having a slot, B,with a rear-abutment, d, and a slot, 0, provided with forward abutment, f,of a hooked coupling-bar pivotally hung intermediate of its length in said slot B, a rocking shaft, G, pro vided with arms 1) p and q, and a connection between said arm q and said coupling-bar,substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination,with a draw-bar having aslot, B,with a rear abutment, d, and a slot, O, provided with a forward abutment, f, of a hooked coupling-bar pivotally hung intermediate of its length in said slot B, a pivoted twoarmed lever, E, adjusted on the draw-head for a horizontal swing of its one arm across the slot B and a projection of its other arm beyond the front of the draw-head, and a spring applied to said lever, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination, with a draw-bar provided with a downward extension, I), and having aslot, B,with a rear abutment, d, and the slot 0, provided with a forward abutment, f, of ahooked coupling-bar pivotally hung intermediate of its length in said slot B, a pivoted two-armedlever, E, adjusted on the under side of the draw-head for a horizontal swing of its one arm across said slot B and a projection of its other arm beyond the front of the draw-head, and a spring applied to said lever, substantially as and for the purpose described.

. 7. The combination, with a draw-bar provided with a downward extension, b, and having a slot, B,with a rear abutment, d, and the slot 0, provided with a forward abutment, f, of a hooked coupling-bar pivotally hung in said slot B, having a shouldered dog, h, pivoted thereto, a pivoted two-armed lever, E, adjusted on the under side of the draw-head for a horizontal swing of its one arm across said slotB and a projection of its other arm beyond the front of the draw-head, and a spring applied to said lever, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination, with a draw-bar pro vided with a downward extension, b, and having a slot, B.with a rear abutment, d, and the slot 0, provided with a forward abutment, f, of a hooked couplingbar pivotally hung in said slot B,having a shouldered dog, h, pivoted thereto, a pivoted two-armed lever, E, adjusted on the under side of the draw-head for a horizontal swing of its one arm across said slot B and a projection of its other arm beyond the front of the draw head, a spring applied to said lever, a rocking shaft, G, provided with armsp p and a connection between said arm q and said couplinghar, and a connection between said ooupling-bar and the top of the car, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

WILLIAM M. REED. XVitnesses:

EUGENE O. HosrErrnR, FRANK D. REED. 

